Well, today is Low Sunday. Also known in the Eastern Churches as "Thomas Sunday" and among Roman Catholics as "Divine Mercy Sunday" because of so-called "Doubting Thomas" who insisted he must see and feel the wounds of the Risen Christ before he will believe in the Resurrection.
Here is an interesting take on that story:
A very tragic but all-too-common judgment that is afoot in the Church today goes like this, "If your experience of Jesus is not the same as my experience of Jesus then you're not really a Christian.'' Low Sunday should cure us of that attitude once and for all!In fact, Thomas’s answer, "My Lord and my God!" is the high point of John’s Gospel. When Thomas gets it, he gets it. No one else has offered such devotion or named Jesus as God. Thomas holds out for an experience of Jesus on his own terms until he finds his terms made foolish by the reality of seeing Jesus. Only then does he make his statement of faith.
Thomas has to make this personal connection with Jesus for himself. Mary can’t experience the resurrected Jesus for the disciples, and the disciples can’t experience Jesus for Thomas. It is faith, not doubt, that holds out for one’s own experience of Jesus.
Bonus image:
And so doubt is the seed of a deeper faith!
ReplyDeleteYour comment on the common judgment in today's church reminded me of a story a preacher once told. He was teaching a class for adults new to the Bible. One of the students told him that she knew Jesus could change her life but she wanted to know what would happen if Jesus didn't change her to suit the teacher. I've never forgotten that story. I've also always wondered what the answer would be in most churches.
ReplyDeleteBut Jesus did say blessed are those who believe without seeing.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. Is Anonymous at 4:17 the same person as Anonymous at 9:05?
ReplyDeleteIt would help if you would each pick some pen name just so I'll be able to identify comments with the appropriate person. I'm not trying to find out who you really are. One could be - oh, I don't know - Blue and the other Green or something. Just so we know when comments are from the same person or a different person.
Thanks so much!
Sorry, Ellie. Mine was the comment at 4:17. I just forgot to sign my name.
ReplyDeleteCarolyn L.
Thanks, Carolyn! It didn't sound like both people who had commented as Anonymous were the same person!
ReplyDelete